Evidence Hierarchy
Place a study within the hierarchy of evidence and identify what its design can and cannot claim
Orthopaedic Peer Review
OrthoEvidence Reviewer Certification
Develop a reliable method for appraising orthopaedic research and writing peer reviews that editors can act on. Taught by the editorial leadership of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
FormatOn-demand
Course5 modules
DurationApproximately 6 hours
Key Concepts
By the end of the certification, you will be able to:
Study Types
Appraise the four study types you will see most often: randomized trials, prognosis studies, case series, and systematic reviews
Manuscript Triage
Triage a manuscript efficiently and match your effort to what it can realistically become
Design vs. Reporting
Distinguish a flaw in study design from a flaw in reporting, and grade severity consistently
Review Comments
Write review comments that are specific, fair, and useful to editors and authors
Research Integrity
Assess conflicts of interest, preprints, AI-assisted writing, and research integrity
Audience
Who Will Benefit
The certification suits anyone who reviews, or expects to review, orthopaedic research.
Early-Career Reviewers
You have been invited to review and want a method you can rely on.
Residents and Fellows
You read the literature closely and want to read it the way an editor does.
Editorial Boards
You want a shared standard your reviewers are trained against.
Clinician-Researchers
You publish, and understanding review from the inside makes you a stronger author.
5 Modules · ~6 Hours
Course Syllabus
The certification moves from mindset to evidence to execution, and finishes with a full review you complete on your own.
The Reviewer's MindsetBhandari · Sprague
Establish the judgment that strong reviewers rely on: reading with a point of view, calibrating your effort, and recognizing when a manuscript cannot be improved through revision.
FeaturingDr. Mohit Bhandari and Dr. Sheila Sprague
Understanding the EvidenceBhandari · Busse
Work through the hierarchy of evidence and how to appraise each design you will encounter: the randomized trial, the prognosis study, the case series, and the systematic review. Built on the JBJS User's Guides to the Orthopaedic Literature.
FeaturingDr. Mohit Bhandari and Dr. Jason Busse
Conducting a Peer ReviewBusse · Sprague · Ghert
Move from invitation to recommendation: the three-filter decision, setting your boundaries, flagging what matters, and writing comments an author can use.
FeaturingDr. Jason Busse, Dr. Sheila Sprague, and Dr. Michelle Ghert
Advanced Topics in Peer ReviewSwiontkowski · Ghert
Address the situations that test a reviewer: research integrity, conflicts of interest, pay-to-play journals, preprints, and the appropriate use of AI in a review.
FeaturingDr. Marc Swiontkowski and Dr. Michelle Ghert
The CapstoneBhandari
Review a full manuscript from start to finish: judge the methodology, read the results, decide whether they matter, and deliver a recommendation.
FeaturingDr. Mohit Bhandari
Faculty
Led by World-Renowned Faculty
The certification is taught by the editorial leadership of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery and leading orthopaedic methodologists.
Dr. Mohit Bhandari
MD, PhD
Distinguished Professor and Chair, Department of Surgery, McMaster University
Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery
Dr. Sheila Sprague
PhD
Professor, Department of Surgery, McMaster University
Methods Editor, Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery
Dr. Jason Busse
DC, PhD
Professor, Department of Anesthesia, McMaster University
Canada Research Chair, Prevention and Management of Chronic Pain
Dr. Marc Swiontkowski
MD
Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Minnesota
Editor-in-Chief Emeritus, Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery
Dr. Michelle Ghert
MD
Professor and Orthopaedic Oncologist, University of Maryland
Professor (Part-Time), McMaster University
The format
The Experience
The certification is built to be worked, not watched. You make decisions throughout, on real material.
Active Learning
Every few minutes you apply what you are learning through a decision, an appraisal, or a short exercise, rather than watching passively.
Realistic Manuscripts
You appraise realistic manuscripts, built for the course to mirror the submissions you will review, so every exercise is hands-on.
Faculty on Video
You learn from the editors and methodologists of JBJS as they work through their own approach on real papers.
A Recognition Worth Pursuing
What You'll Earn
Complete the five modules and the capstone review to earn a Certificate of Completion from OrthoEvidence Academy. It records that you have been trained to appraise orthopaedic research and write peer reviews to a defined standard.
- Issued on completion of the capstone review.
- Suitable for your CV and professional profiles.
- Backed by the faculty of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
Pricing
Enrollment
Lifetime access to all five modules, the capstone review, and your certificate. Team and institutional licensing is available.
Preferred pricing for large groups and reviewers in low- and middle-income countries.Email us and we will set you up, or apply a partner code below.
Email us about pricingHow long do I have to complete the certification?
The certification is on-demand and self-paced. Once enrolled, you have lifetime access, so you can work through the five modules and the capstone review on your own schedule.
Do I need prior review experience?
No. The certification is designed to take you from your first invitation to a repeatable method. If you already review, it gives you a shared standard and a sharper set of tools.
What do I earn at the end?
On completing all five modules and the capstone review, you earn a Certificate of Completion from OrthoEvidence Academy, backed by the faculty of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
Can my department or journal enroll a group?
Yes. Institutional and editorial-board licensing is available, with trackable partner codes so you can enroll and manage a cohort. Use the code field above, or email us at info@myorthoevidence.com for group access.